Connecting OCOP products to distribution and retail systems

Representatives of supermarkets in Dong Nai visited local product booths at the Conference on Connecting Trade between Enterprises and Suppliers from Provinces and Cities with Dong Nai's Distribution System in 2025. Photo: H. Quan

In fact, departments, branches and localities have organized support programs, connecting businesses and OCOP subjects with supermarket systems and retail channels, but the results are only at the initial stage, the number of OCOP products on supermarket shelves has not yet reached expectations.

Removing the "bottleneck" between manufacturers and distributors

At the end of May, the Department of Industry and Trade organized a Conference on Connecting Trade between Enterprises and Suppliers from Provinces and Cities with Dong Nai's Distribution System in 2025. The conference aimed to connect and bring OCOP products, specialties, and typical products of enterprises into the distribution channels of Dong Nai province. At the same time, this was an opportunity to exchange and share experiences on the production, processing, preservation, and consumption of OCOP products; promote product promotion and consumption, and seek partners to expand the market.

At the conference, representatives of distribution systems listened to and answered questions from businesses, cooperatives, and production facilities in the process of bringing products to supermarkets. Many businesses brought products to supermarkets for the first time, so they inevitably had shortcomings in documents, designs, and product quality according to regulations. Therefore, representatives of supermarkets provided contact information to guide and support businesses in completing procedures, designs, and product quality.

Director of Big C Dong Nai Supermarket Le Van Hong shared that the supermarket has arranged booths of local OCOP products in easy-to-see and convenient areas to stimulate consumption. The supermarket is increasingly interested in connecting to bring OCOP products to the shelves. This booth currently has more than 20 products from Dong Nai. To bring products to the supermarket, the products need to meet the conditions and requirements of quality, origin, ensure food hygiene and safety, and meet the number of orders to maintain the products on the shelves.

Deputy Director of Co.opmart Bien Hoa supermarket Hoang Thi To Uyen expressed that the supermarket has worked with many enterprises and production facilities to bring OCOP products to the supermarket, but very few enterprises "go all the way". There are manufacturers who have brought goods into the system but after a while, their contracts were terminated for many reasons. In particular, the main reason is that enterprises have not paid proper attention to caring for and maintaining goods once they are on the shelves.

Enterprises and distributors have discussed specific issues regarding product quality, delivery methods, transportation, payment methods, etc. to find optimal solutions to connect the consumption of the province's products, focusing on OCOP products.

A representative of Domilk Joint Stock Company (Long Thanh District) shared that the company is always proactive in connecting to bring products to supermarkets and distribution systems. The dossier to bring products to supermarkets is not easy, but when the products are offered to supermarkets, it will open up opportunities for businesses to promote and develop the market. To connect to the supply chains, a common voice is needed between the purchasing side of the supermarket system and the manufacturing unit. The company's staff themselves, when connecting to supermarkets, have proactively researched the needs of the supermarkets, improved their negotiation skills, presented connection emails, etc.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade TRAN DUONG HUNG, trade promotion activities need to have fundamental innovation, implementing more appropriate steps to strengthen solutions to connect, exchange, promptly grasp the difficulties and obstacles that businesses and OCOP entities are facing when bringing products into distribution systems, as well as building a specific roadmap for qualified products to enter the supermarket system on the shelves.

Enhance the responsibility of the parties

According to many supermarkets in the province, in order for local specialties and OCOP products to enter the supermarket, the first and most important requirement is that manufacturers and suppliers need to fully demonstrate safety standards, quality, and origin. At the same time, the products need to have designs, packaging, and labels that are suitable for the supermarket's business conditions.

Ms. Hoang Thi To Uyen emphasized: “To improve the efficiency of connecting local products, especially OCOP products to supermarkets, local enterprises need to make efforts and persistently implement procedures and documents, ensure food hygiene and safety, product quality, and provide the right quantity so that the connection of goods to supermarkets is stable and sustainable”.

Director of Business Management of Hoai An Food Import Export Company Limited (Bien Hoa City) Nguyen Thi Hoan expressed that the company wishes to connect with supermarket systems and retail chains inside and outside the province to promote the brand and develop the market for the company's OCOP products. The company focuses on developing new product lines such as broad beans, dried peas, and more convenient tea bag products to suit consumer tastes, making it convenient to put on supermarket shelves.

Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Tran Duong Hung shared that this conference contributes to supporting and creating conditions for establishments, enterprises, production and business cooperatives, and distribution units of Dong Nai to meet, exchange, learn and exchange information on goods, promote investment cooperation in production and business to expand product consumption markets.

The Department of Industry and Trade will deploy strategic plans and solutions to connect OCOP products to the system of shopping centers and supermarkets in the province to increase the proportion of local OCOP products in supermarkets and shopping centers in the province. In particular, one of the criteria to note is to enhance the responsibility of supermarkets in supporting the connection to put OCOP products on shelves, and study the plan to link this with the assessment and classification of supermarkets in the area.

Navy

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/kinh-te/202506/ket-noi-san-pham-ocop-vao-cac-he-thong-phan-phoi-ban-le-6a11701/